


Let Me Be Content, My Dear

by ashmandalc



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Banter, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, these smitten little fuckers are gonna kill me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 09:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15361527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashmandalc/pseuds/ashmandalc
Summary: Short, sweet thing about figuring out what she wants





	Let Me Be Content, My Dear

**Author's Note:**

> I'm considering this to be how they get together before my first fic for them, A Moment Hidden Away. Enjoy!

She’s sitting on a pile of crates in the village when he finds her. He struggles his way up, grunting as he shifts around to sit, his back to hers. The sun is going down, and it’s a lovely sunfall in the village.

“So uh. I’ve been told to stop the redheaded menace. I can only _assume_ they mean you.”

“Maybe if your nobles weren’t such liars and thieves, they’d have nothing to fear from me.”

She feels his body vibrate with laughter against her. She allows herself a smile of affection for him.

“Some other rich pretty boy with too much of his daddy’s money told me to put the _flame haired savage_ on a leash.”

He pulls his water canteen out, opens it and goes to take a sip, but stops.

“Don’t worry.” Sip.

“I knocked a few of his teeth out.” Sip.

“He tripped. It was all very entertaining. I mean sad. It was so sad. I was crying.”

“Do I wanna know what he tripped over, or will knowing make me an accomplice?”

“Pfft. It might. Do you wanna know?”

“Go ahead.”

“He tripped over my hammer. Hit his face on a bench on his way down. He was squalling like a babe when I left him.”

Now it's her turn to laugh, and he’s so proud of himself. He’s never gotten her to be this loud before in mirth, and it’s like music to his ears.

She holds her hand over their shoulders. He hands her the water skin, as she’s gasping for breath.

“That...that’s the greatest thing I’ve heard in weeks.” She sniffles, wipes at her eyes. When she’s done with her drink, she puts it in her lap, and moves her arms back to wind with his until their elbows lock. She leans her head back against him.

“Stood with me at the end of the world, now you’re standing against rich, angry people. What _won’t_ you do for me?” She means it as a joke, he’s sure, and he can hear the smile in her voice. But.

_But_. He can’t help how serious he is when he says, “Not much I can think of. Though, I’m sure you’ll find new ways to test me. Say, did this stunt put me at three minutes?”

“Oh, Erend. You were at three when we stopped that Deathbringer. This easily puts you at six.” She giggles, or the closest he’s ever heard like it from her, and he’s beaming. He feels his face heat as he wiggles their bodies, their arms still locked. He can’t stop smiling.

“So angry nobles rank above Deathbringer at the end of the world. I’ll have to remember that because angry nobles are far more easy to come by than Deathbringers these days. Rich folks are always pissed about something.”

She hums, her eyes closing lightly as a breeze blows by. It’s the best she’s felt in ages; the most relaxed. The breeze blows the scent of his leather and sweat to her, and she feels thankful to have him still with her.

“Erend.”

“Aloy.”

His voice is sluggish, as though he also feels like he could sleep right here, arms tied through each other, against her.

She waits a few moments, wondering what it was she wanted to say. Something had compelled her to say his name, and it was on the tip of her tongue but just out of reach. She feels his arms gently shake hers with a tug on each. It’s this comfort that hits her; reminds her what she’d wanted to say so suddenly.

“I’m not good at this,” she says, voice quiet. He waits patiently for her to continue, eyes wide and watching the world around them, but not taking it in.

“I don’t know what to do about it.” Her arms gently tug his back, and he catches on. He feels the breath leave his lungs, mouth pushing it out slowly.

“Don’t gotta do anything about it, if you don’t want to. Unless you tell me otherwise, this is how it stays.”

“And if I want different?” Her voice feels rough against her throat.

“All you gotta do is tell me. Yes, no, whatever.” His heart is racing in his chest, and his mouth feels dry. Their arms tighten around each other’s.

She stays silent for a minute or so.

“Yes.”

He clears his throat, “Yeah?”

He feels her nod at the back of his neck.

“Yeah.”

“Thennnnnn, can I be obnoxious and ask you out for dinner?”

“And there goes the moment.”

“I told you. Obnoxious.”

“Yes, Erend. I will go to dinner with you. Just like I did last night, and the night before that.”

“Yeah, but you said yes. And hey, I can _hear_ your eyes rolling. Considering this momentous occasion, I think a bit of formality in asking was called for.”

“Ugh. You’re _smug_. It’s the worst part of you. Why must you bring it out now?”

“Because I am _incredibly, stupidly_ happy. It’s your fault.”

He tosses her a look over his shoulder, and _that grin_. She wants to do _something_ to it, but she can’t tell if she wants a bad thing or a good thing. But something has to be done about it. He barely has a chance to register she’s moved before her hand pulls at his armor. Her mouth is slanted over his, her body on its knees as she twists around to face him. He hums against her, bringing a hand up to her elbow where her hand shifted further to his neck. His other hand is left supporting him, so she gets free reign over running her other hand over his shoulder. She pulls herself away, and can’t help the look down at his lips. Red and wet, his eyes are dazed. She pulls herself further around to face him better, then dips down to kiss him again. His hands rest just below her ribs, and she shivers. He pulls away, and licks his lips.

“I think we’re pretty good at that.”

She knows he’s trying to sound confident, but all she can catch is how breathless he is, how red his face is. His eyes are locked onto her, namely her mouth. She lets his armor go and grabs the water skin behind him, shoving it at his chest, and then she’s off the crates and several steps away. She notices he’s not following, and stops, hands on her hips.

“You coming? I was promised food.”

His heart feels near to bursting, and he gives a nervous laugh as he pushes himself from the crates. She waits until he’s beside her before she starts walking again.

And when his hand reaches down to touch hers, and she grabs it, she makes herself think nothing of it.

The nobles that watch them closely as they walk the streets don’t deserve to see her so happy.


End file.
